McDermott told the Reading Post: "They have spoken again, but the club and player are still apart.

"I want him to sign and he has to make a decision, January is coming.

"It's Pearcey's prerogative to agree a deal with the club or not. If the two parties can't agree a deal, then what can you do?

"I have given him advice. But like anything, it's not personal. That's life. The agent has to do what he has to do and I have no problem with him. Fundamentally for me, the most important person in this is the player.

"The player has to take responsibility in his own contract and the agent is working on his behalf. It always has to be the player's responsibility.

"Sometimes they alleviate themselves from that responsibility and leave it to the agent. Between them they have to sort it out. For me, my contract is my responsibility and the agent does the numbers."